


Lay Your Head Down

by klutzy34



Series: Season 7 [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: 7x25 Coda, Friendship, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 04:50:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10914684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klutzy34/pseuds/klutzy34
Summary: After the party, Danny makes the decision that Steve is in no shape to be alone.





	Lay Your Head Down

**Author's Note:**

> There have been some absolutely wonderful stories that came out of 7x25 and while I didn't feel I had much to add to or be able to come close to them, this one little scene wouldn't leave me alone.

He looked like hell, skin pale and dark hair soaked in sweat. The white t-shirt clung to his chest and under his arms, his entire body tensing as another wave of nausea had him leaning over the toilet, clinging to the porcelain bowl as if it was a lifeline. Steve closed his eyes and eased back to a sitting position, swallowing the bile sticking in his throat. 

Danny couldn’t stand by any longer. The cleanup left from the party could wait until later or the next day, however long it took him to get Steve off the floor and into the bed, away from using a toilet seat for a pillow. Gently, he slid his fingers around a bicep, giving Steve a light tug meant to get him to his feet. “C’mon, babe. This is no place to be sitting when you feel like - “

“No.” Steve shook his head adamantly, then clung to the toilet again. His body jerked slightly as if he was about to heave again, then relaxed. “Just need to stay here a little while longer until it runs its course,” he added in a murmur. Slowly, his head began to descend towards the toilet seat again. “Just a side effect of the meds is all, ‘s fine, Danny. Go home.” 

Danny’s hand slipped under Steve’s forehead. “I will certainly not go home, especially not while you’re trying to make a germ-laden ass platform your place to sleep.” Steve’s eyes opened slightly to give Danny an annoyed look, but it lost all intimidation with the way his pale skin emphasized the dark circles under his eyes. 

Just for a moment, Danny wanted to yell at him. It was an illogical reaction to feeling utterly helpless in the face of Steve’s condition, just now finding out because he’d interrupted Steve earlier in the evening. In true McGarrett fashion, he’d attempted to handle it on his own so he wouldn’t be a “burden” on him. He could wrap his hands around his throat and throttle him, but he wouldn’t because not only wouldn’t it help, but the large amount of hypocrisy involved. 

“I’m not leaving you alone, so you might as well just accept it right now and save your breath. You need it right now,” he reminded him, trying to sound normal as he felt another wave of worry. Out in the living room, his phone sat, several webpages open to symptoms and medications, worst case scenarios and best. It was the worst he could remember, not the better, the more likely. 

Sliding down to a sitting position, he gently coaxed Steve to come to him. Uncharacteristically pliable, Steve shifted around and laid his head on Danny’s lap, still not far from the toilet but it was an improvement. He could smell the sweat and the sick on Steve, fingers slipping into his hair to gently soothe. “You don’t have to - “ 

“Steve, just be quiet.” With his free arm, he reached up towards the counter, pulling down a washcloth. While it would have been more useful wet, it still served to wipe the worst of the sweat away. His touch gentle, he ran it over Steve’s brow, cheeks, jaw. His partner didn’t move and he began to wonder if he’d fallen asleep like that when Steve spoke again.

“Jus’ go home, Danny. ‘m fine.” So heavy with exhaustion, so quiet, Danny had to hold absolutely still to barely hear the words. 

“Your authority to give orders ends when we clock out for the day,” Danny replied, stretching his legs out without jostling Steve too much and adjusting his lean against the counter. 

“Like you listen that well anyway,” Steve snorted. If he was still making jokes, then at least he wasn’t on death’s doo - no, he was not going to think about that, not even a step down that path, not even looking that way. Danny felt an invisible hand wrap around his heart and squeeze, emotional pain rippling through his chest. It took him back to the year before as Steve lay dying in the seat beside him, but at least there had been something he could do then. 

He couldn’t this time, not yet. And Steve wasn’t dying. He had to stop thinking like it was a done deal. Long term effects, he mentioned long term effects and a ways to go before they got there. That meant they could get through the short term, then take whatever came next as it approached. 

Still, his traitorous heart ached and beat a little too quickly in his chest as the earlier panic made known that it settled in for the long haul. “I listen when I need to listen, which is more often than you think. But right now, someone needs to ignore your attempts to go it alone and be here for you, Steven. You’ve carried enough for us, now let someone do the same for you.” He felt the intake of breath, cutting off anything that was about to come next with a _no_. 

“Fine.” He was sure Steve was going for ‘your choice’, but he heard something underneath that was almost grateful, maybe just for the fact that he wouldn’t be alone. “Wait, what about Charl-”

“Rachel took him home. _Stop._ ” Danny resumed kneading his scalp with his fingers. “Just relax. I’m staying here.” Not even a night in a presidential suite, all expenses paid, could drag him away from that spot just then, Steve sprawled in his lap. He glanced down at Steve, watching his expression begin to relax, side rising and falling in a sleeping rhythm. His expression fell then and Danny pinched the bridge of his nose, hot tears welling in the corners. 

_Deep breath in, deep breath out. You don’t know how bad it is. He said ten different guys will give ten different answers, so call nine different guys and see what they say. Poll the mainland if you have to, find the best. He’s going to be fine._

He blew out another breath and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. He had to stay steady, for Steve’s sake. A brave front didn’t mean there wasn’t turmoil beneath the exterior. He couldn’t fight illness, though knowing Steve, he would try. 

“We got this,” Danny whispered, closing his eyes and nodding resolutely. “Whatever needs to be done, we will do it.” He glanced down at Steve again, fast asleep on his lap. “Because I need you around for a long, long time.”


End file.
